The use of linerless labels is becoming widespread due to relatively low cost of such labels and due to their relative environmental friendliness. A number of different dispensers has been developed--such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,375,752 and 5,417,783, European published application 0577241, and U.S. application Ser. No. 08/312,068 filed Sep. 26, 1994 now abandoned--to facilitate dispensing of such labels. Each of those dispenser is particularly suited for certain dispensing requirements and can successfully dispense linerless labels without prohibitive difficulties. However, there are some circumstances for which such dispensers are not ideally suited, and therefore the linerless label dispenser according to the present invention--and its associated cutting mechanism--have been developed.
The linerless label dispenser, and its associated cutting mechanism, according to the present invention are ideally suited for dispensing fineness labels from a roll. The dispenser according to the present invention has few operating components and dispenses the linerless labels in a simple yet effective manner. The dispenser of the invention effects automatic cutting of the labels from a continuous supply (such as a roll), therefore the labels need not be provided with perforations, although cutting may take place along perforation lines.
According to one aspect of the present invention a linerless label dispenser is provided comprising the following components: A support for a supply of continuous form linerless labels, each label having a pressure sensitive adhesive face and an adhesive-release material face. First and second grooved drive rolls for engaging the labels and taking them off the supply, and first and second sets of stripper and guiding fingers disposed in at least some of the grooves of the first and second drive rolls, respectively, and at least the first drive roll and the first set of stripper fingers having adhesive-release material portions which engage the adhesive face of labels from the supply. An automatic cutter mounted on the opposite side of the stripper and guiding fingers from the support. And a housing containing the drive rolls and fingers, and cutter, and having an inlet adjacent the support for the supply of labels, and an exit opening on the opposite side of the cutter from the drive rolls. It will be appreciated that the purpose of the stripper fingers is not only to guide the linerless labels but also to strip the labels from any contact with the rolls. Thus, as the label passes through the rolls, there may be a tendency for one or the other or both sides of the label to adhere to the rolls, notwithstanding the existence of adhesive release material portions on at least one of the rolls. Hence, the fingers guide and strip the label from any tendency to adhere to the rolls.
The exit preferably includes biasing means for biasing a label adhesive face into contact with an adhesive-release material coated wall as a label is being cut by the cutter mechanism, and holding the label after cutting until positively removed from the housing. The biasing means preferably comprise a plurality of spring fingers engaging the release material face of the label.
The adhesive-release material of the first drive roll, first set of stripper and guiding fingers, and exit wall preferably comprise a plasma coating, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,752, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. However, there are other adhesive-release materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene and silicone coatings, may be utilized.
Semi-automatic operation is provided by utilizing various electric drives and sensors. Preferably the automatic cutter and drive roll each include electric drives, and sensors include a label position sensor, a cutter movement sensor, and a label take away sensor, all connected to a control mechanism such as a computer control. The connections of the electric drives and the sensors are such that, under the control of the computer control, when the label position sensor senses a particular portion of a label (such as a demarcation mark) from the supply, the drive rolls drive is stopped, and the cutter drive is actuated to effect cutting of a label from the supply. Operation of the drive rolls to feed another label from the supply is precluded until the take away sensor senses removal of the cut label from the housing. The cutter movement sensor senses movement of the cutter and allows only one cutter movement until the drive rolls are again actuated.
The automatic cutter preferably comprises a stationary anvil blade and a pivoting movable blade and an electric drive for pivoting the movable blade about a pivot axis in a path of movement into operative association with the stationary blade to effect scissors-action cutting of a label thereby. The movable blade initially comes into contact with the adhesive face of the label being cut, and the cutter preferably further comprises a silicone impregnated felt element mounted adjacent the path of movement of the movable blade which is engaged by the movable blade so as to have silicone applied thereto, to minimize build up of adhesive on the movable blade. Alternatively or in addition the movable blade (and the stationary blade if desired) may be plasma coated.
Typically the housing includes a door on which the exit is disposed, allowing access to the cutter, and there is an electrical interlock between the door and the electric drive for the movable blade to preclude operation of the electric drive of the blade if the door is not fully closed. The drive rolls are preferably rotatable about substantially vertical parallel axes and the movable blade is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis, and the support for the supply of labels comprises a substantially vertically extending shaft, and the exit opening comprises a substantially vertical slit.
The first and second stripper and guiding fingers may comprise two to eight fingers in each set, disposed at a regular frequency along the drive rolls, with each finger having a width of about 0.5 inches, but typically within the range of 0.1-2.5 inches. Normally a finger is provided at locations on a label from the supply spaced between about 15-30% of the width of the label. Where particularly aggressive adhesive is provided on the label a finger is utilized about every 15% along the width of the label. Where the adhesive is repositional adhesive, having much lower aggressiveness, a finger need only be provided about every 30% along the width of a label.
According to another aspect of the present invention a semi-automatic linerless dispenser is provided comprising the following components: A support for a supply of continuous form linerless labels, each label having a pressure sensitive adhesive face and an adhesive-release material face. First and second drive rolls for engaging the labels and taking them off the supply, and at least the first drive roll having adhesive-release material portions which engage the adhesive face of labels from the supply, the stripper fingers having entrance portions angled relative to one another to facilitate entry of the labels between the rolls. An automatic cutter mounted on the opposite side of the drive rolls from the support. A housing containing the drive rolls and cutter, and having an inlet adjacent the support for the supply of labels, and an exit opening on the opposite side of the cutter from the drive rolls. And the exit opening is defined by a wall coated with adhesive-release material, and includes biasing means for biasing a label adhesive face into contact with the adhesive-release material coated wall as a label is being cut by the cutter mechanism, and holding the label after cutting until positively removed from the housing. The details of the control mechanism, automatic cutter, and the like are preferably as described above.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a linerless label dispenser is provided comprising the following components: A support for a supply of continuous form linerless labels, each label having a pressure sensitive adhesive face and an adhesive-release material face. First and second drive rolls for engaging the labels and taking them off the supply, and at least the first drive roll having adhesive-release material portions which engage the adhesive face of labels from the supply. An automatic cutter mounted on the opposite side of the stripper and guiding fingers from the support, the automatic cutter comprising a stationary anvil blade and a pivoting movable blade and an electric drive for pivoting the movable blade about a pivot axis in a path of movement into operative association with the stationary blade to effect cutting of a label thereby. And a housing containing the drive rolls, and cutter, and having an inlet adjacent the support for the supply of labels, and an exit opening on the opposite side of the cutter from the drive rolls. Again the details of the automatic cutter, housing exit, etc., are preferably as described above.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective semi-automatic linerless label dispenser, with automatic cutting capability. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.